A stainless steel sink can tolerate years of washing, rinsing, and contact with cookware, but it is not immune to careless cleaning. If you are wondering what not to use on a stainless steel sink, start with three categories: tools that scratch, chemicals that attack the surface, and wet objects that leave contamination behind.

Stainless steel sinks are durable, but the wrong cleaner or tool can scratch the finish, leave iron contamination, damage decorative coatings, or weaken the passive layer that provides corrosion resistance.